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Pregnant fiance being forced to leave the UK....

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Breezey007

Junior Member
I am hoping there may be somebody out there that can assist us with a little helpful advice in regard to the best way to handle the situation we currently find ourselves in.

Basically I met my now fiance on Facebook, two years ago. She is from the USA, I am in England, like most people that meet in their 30's, we both have children from previous relationships, 4 each to be exact, and although it has always been difficult to keep them all happy, and spend time together, as well as working, and trying to build a future together, we have struggled along as best we could thus far.

The first time we met in person was in March 2012, when she traveled to Scotland to spend a week with me there. If it was possible, we would have loved to just move all of our children there and live happily ever, but sadly when it comes to exes, distance, schooling, and immigration laws, it was always just a dream.

After she returned, we had to spend the next 5 months apart, which was torture naturally. We worked hard and saved towards the next time we could be together, and in August 2012 she was able to return, this time for 3 months....at the beginning it seemed like it would last forever, but all to soon the departure date arrived, and she had to once again leave, which was heartbreaking.

At the beginning of 2013, I finally received an insurance payout for a work related accident. This meant I was able to buy all of our children their long overdue Christmas presents, and also pay for a ticket for her to travel back here for another 3 month stay. She was informed upon arrival that she would need to leave on the return date of her flight, even though the visa waiver program indicated that she could remain for 6 months maximum.....still, we were more than happy with another 3 months together.

During this visit, she fell pregnant, and although we knew it was going to be very difficult in the future, we were overjoyed. This however soon turned to devastation, when just days before she was due to fly back, we learned that she had suffered a miscarriage. To be brutally honest, I fell apart at this point. Not only was I about to lose the girl I love for another long period of time, but our baby had died. She was still bleeding on the day of her return flight, and I begged her not to leave, not only fearing for her health and mental stability, but also because I couldn't handle the though of her leaving right then.

The next 7 days is pretty much a blur. We barely left the house and cried continually. We didn't want any issues with immigration on top of the suffering we had already gone through, and so we called the airline, and booked the next available ticket for her to return to the US. Of course this was again heartbreaking for us both, but for many more reasons.

Then a miracle happened. A couple of weeks later, we found out that we were expecting again. We were elated, but at the same time saddened, as we knew this meant we would have to spend the vast majority of the pregnancy apart. I have spent the last 6 months watching my baby grow inside the girl I love through Skype, because I needed to provide for my children here, while keeping a roof over my head so that we have a home when she can finally return.

After spending the next 6 months apart, we purchased a ticket, and she flew into Heathrow Airport on Friday 11th October. She was then fingerprinted and photographed, held in a waiting area, interviewed, and basically treat like a criminal. She explained that she has been here twice before on a visa waiver program, and they seemed sympathetic as to the reasoning behind overstaying for 10 days last time, but yet they decided to retain her passport, and after ensuring she had missed her connection flight to Durham, told her she is allowed to stay temporarily, until Wednesday.....at which point she has to be back at Heathrow to leave the country.

At no point did anybody call me, even though they asked for my number and said they would. Because of their questioning, she then had to spend the night, at 6 months pregnant, in Heathrow Airport, and then travel the 400 mile journey via coach the next morning, arriving here late Saturday afternoon.

I find it ridiculous to believe that a girl who has never cost the British taxpayer a single penny, while carrying the child of a British citizen, can now be possibly banned from entering the UK for 10 years, regardless of the circumstances, which will ultimately lead to absolute tragedy for all of our children, not just the baby inside of her right now. We have a medical certificate stating that she is unfit to travel, based on the stress and anxiety caused at Heathrow, and are due to consult an immigration lawyer on Thursday to see what we can do in order to fight our corner....but if anybody has any extra advice in the meantime, it would be very much appreciated.

And for the record, our other children are very well cared for by our ex partners, who we both have good relationships with, and all of them want this to turn out well for us, and their baby sister.

Many thanks for reading,

Stu.
 


Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
Sorry, this site is for US law only. I feel for you, but the fact of the matter is that you (she) will need to follow UK laws. Good luck.
 
I am hoping there may be somebody out there that can assist us with a little helpful advice in regard to the best way to handle the situation we currently find ourselves in.

Basically I met my now fiance on Facebook, two years ago. She is from the USA, I am in England, like most people that meet in their 30's, we both have children from previous relationships, 4 each to be exact, and although it has always been difficult to keep them all happy, and spend time together, as well as working, and trying to build a future together, we have struggled along as best we could thus far.

The first time we met in person was in March 2012, when she traveled to Scotland to spend a week with me there. If it was possible, we would have loved to just move all of our children there and live happily ever, but sadly when it comes to exes, distance, schooling, and immigration laws, it was always just a dream.

After she returned, we had to spend the next 5 months apart, which was torture naturally. We worked hard and saved towards the next time we could be together, and in August 2012 she was able to return, this time for 3 months....at the beginning it seemed like it would last forever, but all to soon the departure date arrived, and she had to once again leave, which was heartbreaking.

At the beginning of 2013, I finally received an insurance payout for a work related accident. This meant I was able to buy all of our children their long overdue Christmas presents, and also pay for a ticket for her to travel back here for another 3 month stay. She was informed upon arrival that she would need to leave on the return date of her flight, even though the visa waiver program indicated that she could remain for 6 months maximum.....still, we were more than happy with another 3 months together.

During this visit, she fell pregnant, and although we knew it was going to be very difficult in the future, we were overjoyed. This however soon turned to devastation, when just days before she was due to fly back, we learned that she had suffered a miscarriage. To be brutally honest, I fell apart at this point. Not only was I about to lose the girl I love for another long period of time, but our baby had died. She was still bleeding on the day of her return flight, and I begged her not to leave, not only fearing for her health and mental stability, but also because I couldn't handle the though of her leaving right then.

The next 7 days is pretty much a blur. We barely left the house and cried continually. We didn't want any issues with immigration on top of the suffering we had already gone through, and so we called the airline, and booked the next available ticket for her to return to the US. Of course this was again heartbreaking for us both, but for many more reasons.

Then a miracle happened. A couple of weeks later, we found out that we were expecting again. We were elated, but at the same time saddened, as we knew this meant we would have to spend the vast majority of the pregnancy apart. I have spent the last 6 months watching my baby grow inside the girl I love through Skype, because I needed to provide for my children here, while keeping a roof over my head so that we have a home when she can finally return.

After spending the next 6 months apart, we purchased a ticket, and she flew into Heathrow Airport on Friday 11th October. She was then fingerprinted and photographed, held in a waiting area, interviewed, and basically treat like a criminal. She explained that she has been here twice before on a visa waiver program, and they seemed sympathetic as to the reasoning behind overstaying for 10 days last time, but yet they decided to retain her passport, and after ensuring she had missed her connection flight to Durham, told her she is allowed to stay temporarily, until Wednesday.....at which point she has to be back at Heathrow to leave the country.

At no point did anybody call me, even though they asked for my number and said they would. Because of their questioning, she then had to spend the night, at 6 months pregnant, in Heathrow Airport, and then travel the 400 mile journey via coach the next morning, arriving here late Saturday afternoon.

I find it ridiculous to believe that a girl who has never cost the British taxpayer a single penny, while carrying the child of a British citizen, can now be possibly banned from entering the UK for 10 years, regardless of the circumstances, which will ultimately lead to absolute tragedy for all of our children, not just the baby inside of her right now. We have a medical certificate stating that she is unfit to travel, based on the stress and anxiety caused at Heathrow, and are due to consult an immigration lawyer on Thursday to see what we can do in order to fight our corner....but if anybody has any extra advice in the meantime, it would be very much appreciated.

And for the record, our other children are very well cared for by our ex partners, who we both have good relationships with, and all of them want this to turn out well for us, and their baby sister.

Many thanks for reading,

Stu.

Not following the law tends to result in situations like this. You really needed to have sorted this out long before pregnancy became an issue.
 

Breezey007

Junior Member
Not following the law tends to result in situations like this. You really needed to have sorted this out long before pregnancy became an issue.
She traveled via the visa waiver program, allowing 6 months stay, and had every intention of returning within 3 months as per her return ticket. The miscarriage delayed that by a week, so sure we can be pedantic when it comes to the rule of law, but it is ludicrous to punish somebody from a civilized country for spending 7 extra days in a visiting country due to ongoing bleeding and emotional trauma.....as for the current pregnancy, we were unaware this was the case until weeks after she had returned.

But as it has been pointed out, this site is for US law only, so it's irrelevant.
 
She traveled via the visa waiver program, allowing 6 months stay, and had every intention of returning within 3 months as per her return ticket. The miscarriage delayed that by a week, so sure we can be pedantic when it comes to the rule of law, but it is ludicrous to punish somebody from a civilized country for spending 7 extra days in a visiting country due to ongoing bleeding and emotional trauma.....as for the current pregnancy, we were unaware this was the case until weeks after she had returned.

But as it has been pointed out, this site is for US law only, so it's irrelevant.

I'm sorry that you think it's ludicrous to punish someone for not following the law.

Pretty sure the UK government agrees with me though, and not you.
 

OHRoadwarrior

Senior Member
In society we have these things called laws. When you follow them, you can achieve great things. When you break them, the crap hits the fan at times. I suggest you start following them.
 

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